The Irish standard., 1887-02-12

red, sulky eyes, and coarse, trim-cut
frieze body coats buttoned on their
stout, squat frames with horn taches,
and suffering a CLEAN of red to appear
at the breast, like the ominous streak in
the dawn of gray morn at the equinox
He of the soft-furred hat pointed to-
wards Shine and clapped his own elbow
to his sides, signifying to them what
course they should adopt, adding some
farther hints concerning his amazing
strength and agility, which were not
lost upon the hearers
The preacher was just in the act Of
heaving profound sigh, when his arms
were suddenly pinioned down, one man
knocking off his hat, another throwing a
small bag, or JOHNNY Doe, such as the
carmen feed their horses in, over HE
head, and drawing the running string
about his neck, while third ran with a
piece Of iack-line two or three swift Cir
cults about him, as the hound does
about {. buffalo at bay. Delaying the
tether finally in the angle (the only
angle that could be found in the preach
er's whole person) Of his elbow. This
done in less time than one might take in
supposing it, the man of the wig leisure
ly tripped up his heels, and laid the
poor culprit, as they do huge turtle,
on s'the broad Of his back on the road,
where he remained helpless and too ut
terly overwhelmed with astonishmepi to
give vent To remonstratory groan. In
fact, the whole affair was over before
one thought could have displaced an
other in his mind
s'Now for it! the fox is bagged''
shouted the buck (for such the grazier
was allowed to s,e)-"Ah, la! / thought
so!' as he drew from the pocket OF the
prostrate, passive, vanquished hero, the
ingot, the fatal ingot which was destined
to be still dearer purchase to the buy
er than it hau already proved.
:;Is it brass?' exclaimed the latter,
half -stihed by the bag in which his head
was immersed. and yet anxiously alive
to The investigation which was going
forward.
Indeed, then, it is brass, and you're
brass, and bold brass chat asks the ques-
ton, returned he OF the green coat.
"No use IN your talking, sir" he said
in answer to the remonstrances Of Segur.
who made an effort at the liberation Of
Lis companion, not being aware that the
fine grazier was one Of those blockheads
who think it manly and becoming to be
obstinate, anl cling to misconception
with the same sort of fatherly kindness
which would induce them to stand by
an L g1y son in scrape-''No use in your
talking, I have taken the man in
Aa{grante delicto, with the goods upon
him. and my prisoner he shall remain
for this night at least. However, at your
desire, as you profess a knowledge OF
his person, I will remove the blind from
his eyes, and if you think you can be of
service to him, I am going TO spend the
night at the house OF my niece Miss Lily
Byrne, Of Drumscanlon, on the Crag
road.o
"We are travelling she same way at all
events, - sald Segur, $50 T. will say 20
more on the subject until we arrive at
the means of convincing you Of this
mans responsibility. How he has
upon that ingot, cannot con-
ceive.7'
"We'll explain all at Liliy's table, at
said the man of the buckles,
as they rode off {repaired at all
points) together.
sat supper, inagh? An unaisy sup
per Yell have Of it, I'm thinkin, . said
The smith, shaking his head. and slowly
the forge. ''That's bad
matter for S,lil Dhuy, whoever told the
about the shoes, the odds are
against him now, any way